ARCA

Toledo: Race report

Bozell triumphs in Toledo ARCA Trucks In just two starts, late model standout Phil Bozell tallied his first ever ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series victory at Toledo Speedway this past Friday. The Portage, Michigan driver took over the lead from ...

Published: Jul 9, 2002, 5:15 PM

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Bozell triumphs in Toledo ARCA Trucks

In just two starts, late model standout Phil Bozell tallied his first ever ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series victory at Toledo Speedway this past Friday. The Portage, Michigan driver took over the lead from Pete Wormcastle on lap 47 and never relinquished it, beating out challenger Chad Guinn for the win.

After leading the majority of the race, Wormcastle spun on the front stretch with a blown tire, and Bozell and Guinn sailed by him with two laps left to go.

"It just took lots of luck and some great coaching from my dad," Bozell said. "Toledo Speedway is great, I love it here."

The 19-year-old is a regular at Kalamazoo Speedway in a NASCAR-affiliated late model series and will make it to several more ARCA truck races this season as his schedule allows, including this Friday's event at Dixie Motor Speedway, Birch Run, Michigan.

Current championship points leader Guinn grabbed his second consecutive second-place finish in the BFI-Northland Collision-Coastal Coating Services Ford. The skilled Erie, Michigan driver has not finished outside of the top-four yet this season.

"It was good fun racing out there tonight," he said. "We were just trying different lines all night. At the end there, Bozell kept going to the outside of Pete, and I kept trying to get underneath them, but I just couldn't get them going into the corners."

Middletown, Ohio's Brett Oakley bumped up to a close third place in the points race after nabbing a stellar third place finish at Toledo in the MAR-FLEX Products-Bales Motorsports Ford. He was followed closely by fourth place Jeff Wichmann in the Midwest Metals & Supply Ford and Belleville, Michigan's Craig Meyers in the Classic Racing Coupes Ford.

Canton, Michigan's Paul Hahn snagged sixth in the Hahn's Collision-Certified First-Pate Mfg.-Fox Auto Parts Ford Ranger, while I-75 Speedway victor Pete Wormcastle finished at seventh in the Preferred Painting & Roofing-Witwer Construction Chevy. Eddy Adams of Sheffield Village, Ohio was the last truck on the lead lap, piloting the Lake Side Auto Parts Ford to eighth place.

Hailing from Sidney, Ohio, rookie sensation Brandon Knupp grabbed ninth in the Mark Knupp Muffler & Tire Ford, while Greenville, Ohio's Stan Maitlen tallied a 10th place finish in the Maitlen Racing Ford Ranger.

After earning the Old Milwaukee Pole Award, ARCA RE/MAX driver Chad Blount led the first two laps of the race, only to pit after breaking a crankshaft on lap 3. Toledo, Ohio native John Kasmierski ran into problems early in the day, breaking during practice and not qualifying for the event in the Pat & Dandy's Sports Pub-Mississippi Barbecue Sauce Ford. 2000 and 2001 ARCA truck champion Robbin Slaughter also suffered a broken motor at Toledo, pitting on lap 14, not to return to the race.

Heading further into their busy July schedule, the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series makes the trek into Michigan for a double-header at Dixie Motor Speedway and Flat Rock Speedway this coming weekend, July 12 and 13.

Series Notes:

-Tonight's winner is no stranger to racing. It's in his blood. His grandfather raced for 25 years, and his aunts and uncles have all sat behind the wheel of a racecar. Phil, his father Andy and his uncle Jeff currently run late models at Kalamazoo Speedway, with Andy first in points, Jeff second, and Phil at 10th. Phil started racing just five years ago at age 14 in a street stock-type class at M40 Speedway in Michigan. The Bozell's have six cars that race out of their family-run garage. Surprisingly, Phil has never raced before at Toledo. -In the first five events of the 2002 season, the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series has seen three new winners take their first series victories (Joe Wormcastle, Pete Wormcastle, Phil Bozell). Active drivers included on the all-time series winners list are Chad Guinn, with 12 wins, Slaughter, with eight, and with one win each: Bozell, Tully Esterline, Paul Hahn, John Kasmierski, Jeff Speakman, Jack Weethee, J. Wormcastle, P. Wormcastle, Bill Withers.

- Unofficial rookie points standings: 1. Brandon Knupp (1120); 2. Kevin Reeb (905).

-Three drivers made their first ever ARCA truck series starts at Toledo Speedway on Friday night, including late model driver Craig Meyers, past sprint car driver Brad Yunkers, and ARCA RE/MAX Series standout and polesitter Chad Blount.

-arca-

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